Product Description

At the start of this fourteenth adventure for Amelia, which continues the wartime theme begun in "Lord of the Silent", it is New Year's Eve, 1917. Risking winter storms and German torpedoes, the Emersons are heading for Egypt once again: Amelia, Emerson, their son Ramses and his wife Nefret. Emerson is counting on a long season of excavation without distractions but this proves to be a forlorn hope. Yet again they unearth a dead body in a looted tomb - not a mummified one though, this one is only too fresh, and it leads the clan on a search for the man who has threatened them with death if they pursue the excavations. If that wasn't distraction enough, Nefret reveals a secret she has kept hidden: there is reason to believe that Sethos, master criminal and spy may be helping the enemy. It's up to the Emersons to find out, and either prove his innocence - or prevent him from betraying Britain's plans to take Jerusalem and win the war in the Middle East.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22526 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 490 pages

Review
"* 'I can't wait for the next Peabody story... I really do think [Elizabeth Peters'] books are great entertainment.' Angela Ripon * 'A writer so popular that the public library has to keep her books under lock and key.' Washington Post Book World * 'Think Miss Marple with early feminist gloss crossed with Indiana Jones... accomplished entertainment.' Guardian"

About the Author
Elizabeth Peters is a prolific and successful novelist with over fifty novels to her credit. She is internationally renowned for her mystery stories, especially those featuring indomitable heroine Amelia Peabody. She lives in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, Maryland, with six cats and two dogs.

Customer Reviews

A cracking Read
The Emersons are back in Egypt, the First World War is raging elsewhere and there is a dead body in a tomb ... typical Amelia Peabody territory.

If you've read the others you will love this one. All the usual characters are with us from Gargery the strange and unusual butler to Sethos the embarrassing illegitimate brother. Ramses and Nefret rejoice in married bliss (although it is very interesting to re-read the earlier books and see the changes in Ramses' character to make him a more useful, all round hero)and Amelia is still having dreams of Abdullah.

The villain in this novel is not the usual master criminal but the British Army and their attempts to involve Ramses in what they are doing. This is one plot line, the discovery of a new tomb replete with treasure is the other.

Maybe Amelia and Emerson are becoming unbelievable at times, but, what the hell .... this novel is funny, well written and enjoyable ... not one of the best in the series but head and shoulders above much else that is written these days !!

Book Fourteen in the Series
Elizabeth Peters was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Peters was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lives in a historic farmhouse in western Maryland.

The Amelia Peabody books may or may not be an acquired taste, personally I love them. They are set in Victorian times when there were still very strict rules of etiquette and polite behaviour was the norm. Although most of the books are set in Egypt, in the desert under very trying conditions and extremely hot weather the `English' way of life was still expected to be adhered to, sometimes with quite hilarious consequences.

Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters' best loved and brilliant creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeology by storm with her no nonsense dress sense and forthright opinions.

This book brings us right into the middle of the First World War, but despite the winter storms and the prospect of German submarines prowling the seas Amelia, Emerson, Ramses and his beautiful wife Nefret are more than ready to head for another season of excavation in Egypt.

Emerson is hoping that the troubles that seem to follow Amelia wherever she goes will not materialise this year and that he can get on with his excavations with little or no distraction, but secretly he knows that it is highly unlikely.. Once more the family find a dead body, but in this case not a mummy, but a recently killed one. As if that is not enough Nefret reveals a secret that she has until now kept hidden . . .

Another thrilling installment
One again Peters has written a book a that I couldn't put down. A fan of the Amelia Peabody fan I look forward to each installment and she does not let me down. The family continues to expand, mystery continues to stop Emerson excavating and the mysterious Sethos continues to surprise. As always a fantastic read a must for lovers of the series.